1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to sharing a single mobile identification number between multiple uniquely distinguishable wireless handsets.
2. Related Art
Wireless phones are experiencing a dramatic increase in popularity. As handset size and service costs decline, the wireless phone is rapidly becoming the phone of choice. For many users, it has displaced the conventional wireline phone completely.
However, the wireline phone continues to have some advantages over the wireless phone. In particular, some features available with wireline phones are not available for wireless phones. One feature of particular utility is the common telephone xe2x80x9cextension.xe2x80x9d This feature provides a host of advantages.
For example, in a consumer environment, a phone call to a residence can easily be passed from extension to extension. Unfortunately, this feature is not currently available for wireless phones.
As another example, in a business environment, a caller can dial a single number to reach a receptionist, who can then direct the call to individual telephone extensions as desired. The extension feature also permits a number of interoffice services such as conference calling and call transfer. Unfortunately, this feature is not currently available in wireless telephony.
The present invention is a system, method, and computer program product that permits multiple uniquely identifiable handsets to use the same mobile identification number (MIN).
The apparatus includes a wireless phone including an electronic serial number (ESN) and an extended mobile identification number (EMIN), the EMIN including a mobile identification number (MIN) identifying a plurality of wireless phones and an extension code identifying the specific wireless phone within the plurality of wireless phones that includes it; an adjunct processor that generates control codes according to a network-based profile identified by the EMIN and a mobile switching center that activates a services plan according to the control codes, thereby providing telecommunication service access to the wireless phone.
The method includes transmitting from a wireless phone an electronic serial number (ESN) and an extended mobile identification number (EMIN), the EMIN including a mobile identification number (MIN) identifying a plurality of wireless phones and an extension code identifying the specific wireless phone within the plurality of wireless phones that includes it; generating, at an adjunct processor, control codes according to a network-based profile identified by the EMIN; and activating, at a mobile switching center, a services plan according to the control codes, thereby providing telecommunication service access to the wireless phone.
One advantage of the present invention is that it permits a plurality of wireless handsets to share a single mobile identification number (MIN).
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a user-manageable profile associated with the MIN.
Further features and advantages of the present invention as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.